Downie, who was recently acquired in the Steve Eminger deal, has 1 goal and 13 points to go with 51 penalty minutes in 10 AHL games this season between Norfolk and Philadelphia. The forward also appeared in six scoreless games amassing 11 penalty minutes for the Flyers prior to being dealt to the Lightning. The pesky winger has appeared in 38 career NHL games with 6 goals, 12 points, and 84 penalty minutes.

Smaby has 1 goal and 3 points in 17 games with Norfolk this season to go along with 22 penalty minutes. The stay-at-home defenseman played well with Tampa Bay down the stretch of last season and has played 14 career NHL games with 12 penalty minutes.

Both players offer to raise the grit and intensity level of a Lightning club recently accused of lacking those elements by Head Coach Rick Tocchet.

Lewiston, who has been on the losing end of several football-like scores lately, got three field goals to break Shawinigan's astounding 15 game win streak. Ward (pictured) is just six points from matching last year's career high point total.

Blair Jones had a three point night as he is riding a mini hot streak with 6 points in the last 3 games. He has 13 points in 20 games now and he's on a pace to put up a career best season in points despite playing less minutes than he was last season.

The American Hockey League today announced that Norfolk Admirals forward Jay Rosehill has been suspended for four (4) games and Springfield Falcons defenseman Theo Peckham has been suspended for three (3) games as a result of their altercation prior to an AHL game between the teams in Springfield on Nov. 21.

In addition, both the Admirals and Falcons have been fined an undisclosed amount.

WJBF-TV Channel 6 in Augusta is reporting that the ECHL announced late Wednesday afternoon that the Augusta Lynx will remain a member of the league. From that JFBF report:

A release from ECHL Senior Vice President of Communications Jack Carnefix said â€œIn response to published reports about the future of the Augusta Membership, the ECHL hereby announces that contrary to those reports the Augusta Lynx continue as a member in the ECHL. Any rumors to the contrary are simply not true. Augusta plays at Gwinnett on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. and hosts Charlotte on Saturday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Charlotte on Sunday at 4 p.m.â€

The announcement came in response to a report on the Charlotte Observer newspaper web site Wednesday that said the Charlotte Checkers, as well as other ECHL teams, were adjusting their schedule to account for the Lynx disbanding. The report went on to say that the ECHL Board of Governors would meet to decide Augustaâ€™s fate on Wednesday. The ECHLâ€™s release came confirming the Lynx membership in the league came after that meeting.

By early Wednesday afternoon, the report had been removed from the Observerâ€™s web site.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned defenseman Jamie Heward to the Admirals, Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced today. Heward, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound defenseman, skated on Sunday in Tampa Bay against the New Jersey Devils, going scoreless with three blocked shots. Heward was recalled last Saturday after Lightning defenseman Lukas Krajicek suffered an injury last Friday against the Predators. Heward has skated in 12 contests for the Admirals this season, scoring five goals and seven assists with 16 penalty minutes. Four of his goals and six of his assists have come on the power play. Heward ranks in the top ten of AHL scoring by defensemen and registered a goal and two assists on Friday in Springfield to run his point streak to an Admirals season-high seven games (4G, 6A).

The Norfolk Admirals have acquired forward Grant Potulny from the San Antonio Rampage in exchange for future considerations, Admirals General Manager Mike Butters announced today. "With the void left by the trade of Wyatt Smith last night, we needed an experienced forward with good character in our lineup," said Butters. "Grant Potulny is a great character guy who is a proven scorer in the American Hockey League. He brings a wealth of experience to our lineup, but at the same time does not qualify as a veteran under AHL guidelines."

The Tampa Bay Lightning have traded forward Wyatt Smith to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for future considerations, Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced today.

Smith, a 5-foot-11, 205-pound native of Thief River Falls, Minnesota, had played in 18 games with the Admirals this season, recording three goals and eight points. He is a veteran of 211 NHL games with the Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche. Smith has amassed 10 goals and 32 points in those games. He has also played in five career Stanley Cup Playoff games.